Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree with a Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics

Program Learning Outcomes for the BS Degree with a Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics 

Upon completing the BS degree with a major in Physics, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts in Mechanics.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts in Electromagnetism.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts in Quantum Mechanics.

Additionally, upon completing the BS degree with a major in Physics and a major concentration in General Physics, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of fundamental physics topics taken from: statistical and thermal physics, biological physics, nuclear and particle physics, solid state physics, computational physics, and/or plasma physics.
  2. Demonstrate proficiency in research techniques and methodology under guidance of a faculty member.
  3. Communicate scientific results both in writing and oral presentations.

Requirements for the BS Degree with a Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics

For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BS degree with a major in Physics and a major concentration in General Physics must complete:

  • A minimum of 64 credit hours to satisfy major requirements. 
  • A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements. 
  • A minimum of 37 credit hours taken at the 300-level or above. 
  • Core courses common to all major concentrations. 
  • The requirements for the major concentration in General Physics. When students declare the major in Physics, students must additionally identify and declare one of four major concentrations, either in:

Because of the common core requirements, it is possible for students to change their major concentration at any time, even after initially declaring the major. To do so, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

Students may obtain credit for some courses by advanced placement, and the department's undergraduate committee can modify requirements to meet the needs of students with special backgrounds. 

The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the Physics and Astronomy department's undergraduate committee. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.

Summary

Total Credit Hours for the Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics64
Total Credit Hours for the BS Degree with a Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics120

Degree Requirements 

Core Requirements
MATH 101SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS I 13
or MATH 105 AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS I
MATH 102SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS II 13
or MATH 106 AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS II
MATH 211ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS AND LINEAR ALGEBRA3
or MATH 220 HONORS ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
or MATH 221 HONORS CALCULUS III
MATH 212MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS3
or MATH 222 HONORS CALCULUS IV
or MATH 232 HONORS MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS
Select 1 from the following: 24
MECHANICS (WITH LAB)
and MECHANICS DISCUSSION
HONORS MECHANICS (WITH LAB)
Select 1 from the following: 34
ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB)
and ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM DISCUSSION
HONORS ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB)
PHYS 201WAVES, LIGHT, AND HEAT3
PHYS 202MODERN PHYSICS3
PHYS 231ELEMENTARY PHYSICS LAB1
PHYS 301INTERMEDIATE MECHANICS4
PHYS 311INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM PHYSICS I3
PHYS 491
PHYS 493
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
and UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SEMINAR 4
3
PHYS 492
PHYS 494
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
and UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SEMINAR 5
3
Major Concentration in General Physics 6
PHYS 302INTERMEDIATE ELECTRODYNAMICS4
PHYS 312INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM PHYSICS II3
PHYS 332JUNIOR PHYSICS LAB II2
PHYS 425STATISTICAL & THERMAL PHYSICS3
Select 2 courses from the following:6
INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS
INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE PHYSICS
SOLID STATE PHYSICS
INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL RELATIVITY
COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS
INTRODUCTION TO PLASMA PHYSICS
MATH 381INTRODUCTION TO PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS3
or CMOR 304 DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
MATH 382COMPUTATIONAL COMPLEX ANALYSIS3
or CMOR 302 MATRIX ANALYSIS
or CMOR 303 MATRIX ANALYSIS FOR DATA SCIENCE
or MATH 354 HONORS LINEAR ALGEBRA
or MATH 355 LINEAR ALGEBRA
Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics64
Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements *25
University Graduation Requirements *31
Total Credit Hours120

Footnotes and Additional Information 

Policies for the BS Degree with a Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics 

Program Restrictions and Exclusions

Students pursuing the BS Degree with a Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics should be aware of the following program restrictions:

  • As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates under Declaring Majors, Minors and Certificates, students may not obtain both a BA and a BS in the same major. Students pursuing the BS Degree with a Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics may not additionally pursue the BA Degree with a Major in Physics.
  • Students pursuing the major in Physics may pursue only one major concentration within the major.

Transfer Credit 

For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities. 

Additional Information 

For additional information, please see the Physics and Astronomy website: https://physics.rice.edu/.

Opportunities for the BS Degree with a Major in Physics and a Major Concentration in General Physics 

Academic Honors

The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.

Research in the Department of Physics and Astronomy

The Physics and Astronomy Department encourages undergraduate participation in research, both within the department and through extramural programs. For current opportunities, please click on the Research tab on the department website.

Additional Information 

For additional information, please see the Physics and Astronomy website: https://physics.rice.edu/.